Newport boss Christian Fuchs: ‘We can turn it around’

Newport boss Christian Fuchs saw his Newport side anchored to the bottom of League Two after suffering a heavy 4-1 defeat at Colchester, but maintained there was still hope for his beleaguered team.

He said: “I believe in us, that we can turn it around, definitely.

“There are still 25, 26 games to go and there’s time to go but the work needs to start now and we can’t rely on the time there is left.

“We need to start the work now and we need to look at ourselves in the mirror as well, because we’re the only ones that can change it, the players on the pitch.

“It takes a lot of bravery to turn things around and I will emphasise that they did it before and they can do it any time.

“I didn’t recognise the team today, to be honest, the way they started in the first half, not the team that I wanted or I want out there on the pitch.

“I want players who have energy, go after the ball and fight and win their duel and I didn’t see that in the first half – it was just too passive.”

Danny Cowley saluted his Colchester side’s dominant performance after their victory.

The U’s took a 22nd-minute lead through Kyreece Lisbie, who netted at the far post from Samson Tovide’s cross after a well-worked move.

And Tovide made it 2-0 in the 43rd minute, prodding home Lisbie’s delivery at the far post.

Micah Mbick added a third in the 64th minute when he took the ball past keeper Wright before converting.

Newport pulled a goal back in the 66th minute when Sammy Braybrooke scored from the halfway line, with a magnificent shot that went in off the crossbar.

But Jack Payne scored Colchester’s fourth from the edge of the area in the seventh minute of stoppage time, from fellow substitute Owura Edwards’ pass.

Colchester boss Cowley said: “They’re not easy games, these ones.

“We knew that Newport are in a difficult moment and they obviously have a new manager and some really good technical players who can really take the ball off you, which they did at times in the second half and they’re a real threat on transition.

“We’re a team that was 3-1 up last week [at Salford] and lost 4-3 and that hurts so with all that in consideration, we’re really pleased to win.

“We did some things really well but I’m always going to want more and I make no apologies for being really demanding of them, because I think they’re really capable.

“We know that if we defend well and with compactness, aggression and intensity, then it normally allows us to do good things with the ball.

“Everybody is committed to that and the boys worked hard – it was a good win.”